ar ae 


ICAL SURVEY. 


Bulletin No. 74 Poel ZO) AVES. 
ve 
39, 65/4: COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA 

pu. 77 wih ae cave 

; DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS 


James F, Woodward, Secretary 


so 


BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 
George H. Ashley, State Geologist 


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CHROMITE IN PENNSYLVANIA 
By 


Je ROSS Corbin 


Former large output. For several decades in the ninetcenth 
century Pennsylvania and Maryland furnished almost the total world's 
supply of chromite. The deposits in these states were of enormous 
size, aS can be realized from the production figures of 100,000 tons 
for the Reed™ mine (Harford County, Maryland) and 120,000 tons for 
the Wood** minc, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 


In comparison, the largest body of chromite recently mined in 
the United States, *** and a truly large deposit for chromite (at 
Castle Crags mine; on Little Castle Creek, Shasta County, Californin) 
Contained only 12,000-18,000 tons. It is justifiable to assume, fron 
the information at hand, that deposits of chromite as large as those 
formerly worked can be discovered in Fennsylvania by explorations 
based on careful rcoloric and magnetiG surveys. 


Geologic relation: In Pennsylrania the chromite deposits occur 
in rocks which, because of their composition and location, are called 
the "State Line serpentines." ‘The soil of the region in which these 
rocks occur is unproductive; hence the name "The Barrens” has been 
applicd to the land underiain by serpentine, 


Serpentine areas extend in a westerly dircction through Delaware , 
Chester, and Lancaster Countics. The outcrops then trend southwest, 
cross the State Line, and continve to a noint in Maryland northwest 
of Baltimore, Chromite deposits, both massive end sands, have been 
found at several places in this area. 


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* Mineral Resources of the United States, 1883-1884; p. 568, 19885. 


*Genth, 3, A., Second Geol, Survey of Pennsylvania, Report B, p. 41, 


bs i Diller, J. S., Recent Studies of Domestic Chromite Deposits, 
Trans. A. I. M. E., Vol. LXITZ, p. lll, 1920. 


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serpentine areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. 
Chromi te production has been greatest in southern Chester 
and Lancaster counties. 


Definition. Cirorite: is black, heavy, nard iinersl resomblineg 


> 
marne tito wane Containing a nenbiin percentare of chromium, ) The word 
pemeeetoslo fenecralstrade termicorsmaterial of variable composition, 


Ideal chromite is expressed by the formula FeO.Cro0z, and is composed 
of 68 per cent chromic oxide and 62 ner cent iron oxide, 


Chromite is related to a group of minerals (spinel group) which 
contains various proportions of chromium, iron, magnesium, and other 
metals, Because of this relationship it is common to find chromite 
whieh contains magnesia (MgO) in place of part or all of tne ison 
oxide (Fed), and which contains eluminsa (AloOs) Sire ee et Fu thi 


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(e503) in place ef part of the oxide of chromium (Cr-0-). For these 
reasons chromite, even when mineralogically pure Person bent ts the 


68 per cent Cre0Oz required by the formula for the ideal mineral, The 
writer has examined hundreds of samples in which the pure chromite 
(mineral) contained only 35 - 45 per cent chromic oxide, and it is 
possihle that material called "chromite" may contain much less. 

The importance or this substitution or replacement feature. of 
the mineral is at least twofold: (1) chromite may be so strongly 
magnetic as to ‘appear to be magnetite, thus being deceptive as to its 
true character, and (2) labor and money may be uselessly expended in 
trying to concentrate mechanically beyond the actual chromic oxide 
content of the mineral. The true solution of such difficulties is to 


Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2022 with funding from 
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/chromiteinpennsyOOcorb_O — 


be had only by very careful examination. Pennsylvania chromite, 
however, is of very high grade. 


Uses. Chromite is difficult to melt, is chemically inert, and 
is physically strong. For these reasons it is used in lump or crushed 
condition for lining metallurgical furnaces 


Chromite is the source from which are obtained the various alloys 
and chemicals containing chromium, Chemical combinations of chromiun 
with other elements way be used for producing beautiful red, yellow, 
orange, and green pigments and dyes; as a mordant; as an oxidizing or 
a bleaching agent in chemical manufactures; and as an agent in tannin. 
leathers. However, by far the largest tonnage of chromium is consume: 
in the manufacture of alloy steels. 


For use in metaliurgical processes chromite is smelted into an 
alloy of chromium and iron, called ferrochromium or ferrochrome, The 
quantity of chromium present in ferrochrome may be 50 - 70 per cent, 
and the alloy may contain up to 10 per cent carbon, fFerrochrome is 
added to steel duriag the process of manufacturing alloy steel, The 
proportion of chromium in alloy steels ranges from less than 1 to more 
than 20 per cent. 


Chromium increases the hardness of steel without increasing the 
brittleness.' Alloy steels such as tungsten-steel, manganese-steel, 
nickel-steel, molybdenum-steel, etc., all contain chromium in 
addition to the tungsten, manganese, nickel, or molybaenum., This 
fact indicates chromium's very important position in alloy steel 
manufacture. Since the steel industries are manvfacturing alloy 
steels in increasing provortions it is evident that the importance of 
chromite production as 2 "key" industry is increasing. 


proportionate consumntion by industr ies, The following 


ee ear 
quotation” indicates the approximate ratios of the industrial demands 
for chromite: 


"Harly in 1918 the War Industries Board, after a canvass of the 
consumers, made an estimate of the quantities of chromite that would 
be requireg in 1918 by the different domestic industries. The total 
estimated requirement was 169,000 tons of 50 per cent ore, which, 
recuced to percentages by uses, amounted to the following figures: 
Bor 1errochrome 52 per cent, for chemicais 31° per’cent, for 
metractories 1% per cent. These figures, however, are only approximai 
and would not apply to a normal year, but they show the order of 
magnitude of the requirements of the several industries." 


Present production. About three-fourths of the present world 
production of chromite is obtained in Rhodesia (British | South africa) 
and New Caledonia (an island about 600 miles east from Australia.) 
Other localities from which’more or less‘important quantities have heen 
obtained are Canada, Greece, Baluchistan, Russia, Turkey (Smyrna), 

India (lysore), and the United States (California and Oregon). The re 
is no recorded production of chromite in Pennsylvania for many years. 


©, cs Vike rasan ein a ho See ea 2 i Pra eS Oe ‘ , Sif na AapiES 
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The following table shows the relations between domestic pro- 
duction and imports in the United States: 


Domestic sales, imports, and anpsrent consumption OF chromite 
in tne United States, 1913 and 1917-1921." 


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Long age | Long age 
tons Value value | tons Value value 
SES ace aw MRE HAREM ULE AIG Ge oe RALE DIG RESINS FRE IM i ta ar — 
1913 255 . $2:854 $11.19| €f;180 $622,821 $9.56 
1917 43,725 1,049; 400 24,00)... 72,063 1;110;659 15,41 
1918 62,430 3,955 :567 47.99} 100,142 2,892:825 28.89 
1919 5,079 129 202 Wi Sb .461 161,404. 301,497 22.50 
1920 2,502 44: 857 13.93! 150,875 1,921, 624 12.79 
1921 282 2,900 10,28 | 81. 836 654.602 8,00 
j 
Apyarent available supply 

Long Aver- 

Tear tons Value age 
value 

1913 65 }455 $625,675 59,56 
1917 115,788 2,160,059 18,66 
1918 182,572 6 848-392 37.51 
1919 66 483 1;510;799 22.78 
1920 162); 77-7 1,966;681 12.87 
1921 82;118 “G6. BOR 8,01 


* Mineral Resources of the United States, 1921, Fart I, p. 16, 1922, 


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From the foregoing figures it is very apparent that the domestic 
markets will absorb a much'greater domestic tonnage provided com- 
petition in price, ygualityv, and condition can be met, 


Occurrence in Pennsylvania. Devosits of chromite occur under 
such Circumstances in rennsylvania as to indicate that they were 
formed by crystallization from masses of molten rock, Furthermore, 
in such an event chromite is one of the first minerals to crystallize. 
Because of this fact/fiit‘may be Scattered in small grains through the 

rock which Contains it, or it may occur in large masses. The former 
type is the disseminated or (locally) "bird's-eye" ore, and the 
latter is the "rock chrome" or “rock ore." 

Weathering agencies (rain, wind, heat, and cold, etc.) dis- 
integrate rocks and carry off the smaller particles. Chromite is 
very weather-resisting, and being “heavy" it forms natural concentra- 
tions or placers in positions down-stream from the deposits. Ore o7 
this character is knovm as "sand chrome" or "sand ore.” 


The rock ore is an excellent grade of chromite in lump form, 
The "bird's-eye" ore, being disseminated, requires crushing and con- 
centration to make it marketable. The "sand ore" is already dis- 
integrated and roughly sized and concentrated by weathering agencies. 
Only rough washing is necessary to prepare it for market. 


Analyses. Massive chromite in Pennsylvania frequently contains 
over 50 percent chromic oxide.“ As mined, samples have contained as 
high as 56 per cent. Regular Shipments from the Wood Mine, Lancaster 
County, contained 48 per cent. 


The chromic oxide content of the "Bird's-eye" ore is variable, 
The lowest grade which can be mined will be determined by operating 
costs and market n>nrices,. 


Stream chrome or sand ore contains about 45 per cent chromic 
oxide where ample opportunity has been given for concentration by 
running water, 


The following analyses indicate the compositious of Pennsyi- 
vania chromites: 


* See reports Second Pennsylvania Geological Survey Vol. CCC, pp. l 
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Analyses of Pennsylvania chromite. 


am oP Pos os 4. ahi 6. 

Cr50g 24.26 52,64 ap MeL Ss 60.836 63.384 52306 
FeO 14.54 16.00 35,14 ---- re 26.64 
Fe20 --- a= --- 38.952 O8+665 7.41 
Al203 4,40 10,00 vs Fe gr 0.928 aa 5.98 
NiO --- --~ --- 0.100 BeeBe 0,14 
CoO --~ -- = --~ re -- trace 
Mm0 --~ -—— teed ~~ -—== 0.39 
MgO 26.07 See --- --~- ~~ 6.59 
Cad 0.45 0.36 --- ~--- ~--= —-- 
Side 24.20 5.60 Pe 18) 0.619 ---= ~~ = 
Loss on 

ignition 7.44 1.90 --~ ~--- ~--~ --~ 


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101.36 99.72 99.32 101.435 104,329 100.45 


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1. Bird's-eye ore from dump, Wood's Mine, Lancaster County. Sample 
collected by the writer. This ore could be concentrated. 


2, Massive ore from dump, Wood's Mine, Sample collected by the 
writer. 


3. Chester County ore. 
4, Chester County ore. 
5. Massive ore, Wood's Mine. Sp.gr. 4.568. 


6. Chromite erystals, Hibbard's farm near Chrome Run, Delaware 
MoOunuy emote 4.70% 


Analyses 3-6 from Second Pennsylvania Geological Survey Vol. B, pe 435. 


Present conditions in Pennsylvania, ‘During the orld War 
several‘old mines were unwatered, examined, and some ore was shipped. 
However, no new mines were develonved to the point where operations 
could continue after the cessation of war-time stimulation. Since 
the armistice some small developments and some stock=-selling have 
been reported, but production has not been attaincd. 


Puture prespects in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania chromitcs are 
of excellent gradc. The individual deposits are large. Thev are 
situated near points of consumption, and under such local conditions 
that cconomic mining should be practicable. 


It is contrarily reported that the known deposits are worked 
out, and that there is "plenty" of ore left underground in the 
abandoned mines. Operations during the war period showed that at 
least some ore remained in the old mines and in the old dumps, I% is 
probable that a small, carefully-designed, modern plant of scmi-port- 
able type could operate profitably under present markct conditions, 


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Large future developments will take place with the discovery of 
new large ore bodies. During previous mining operations many of the 
valuable deposits were accidentally discovered by underground develop= 
ments, thus proving beyond question that ore bodies exist close to 
the surface without showing any visible surface indications. 


Chromite ore bodies are magnetic and affect magnetic instruments 
in much the same way that magnetite does, although with less intensity, 
Very careful meesurements of the earth's local magnetism at numerous 
‘places throughout th serpentine area would indicate the presence, 
approximate shape, size, and depth of such ore bodies, 


It is believed that many Square miles in southeastern Fennsyl- 
vania afford particularly favorable geological conditions for the 
formation of deposits of magnetite, chromite, and other minerals 
which do not appear at the surface, A careful coordinated inagnetic 
Survey would indicate the location of those ore bodies near the 
surface which affect the local magnetism, besides furnishing magnetic 
data for use by local land surveyors. ‘This Bureau has conceived the 
idea of making such a survey for the benefit of the State as a whole, 


The cooperation of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey has 
been assured in such wor’, 


The proposed investigation would bring results of great value 
+ : . . : : 

_to the State, to the industries, to the communities near which and: 
to the owners of the land under which the deposits occur, However, 


work of this type must be deferred for the present because of lack 
of funds. 


